Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of general anesthesia on bacterial growth in bronchial tree, depending upon the applied method of anesthesia. The artificial airway is the additional gate for respiratory tract infections and mechanical ventilation which can have an influence on postoperative complications such as pneumonia and atelectasis. Patients undergoing 4h surgeries were sampled. Due to selection of anesthetics, volatile or intravenous, patients were divided into groups VGA (volatile general anesthesia) and TIVA (total intravenous anesthesia). Material collected with mini-bronchoalveolar lavage method directly after intubation and just before extubation. In 40% of all patients no bacteria growth was noted in both time points. In VGA group, from the bacteria cultured in 61.9% of patients in first sample, 62.5% of colonies diminished or eradicated, only 6.25% multiplied. In TIVA group 42.9% patients presented bacteria in first sample. All bacteria got reduced. Length of hospitalization preceding surgery (p=0.036) and number of smoked cigarettes (p=0.028) significantly correlated with colonization of bacteria. General anesthesia has no influence on the respiratory tract microorganism contamination and can even favour the eradication of the colonizing bacterial flora.

Key words:  Respiratory tract, general anesthesia, contamination.